ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 154594
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| Date: | Monday 1 November 1965 |
| Time: | |
| Type: | McDonnell RF-101C Voodoo |
| Owner/operator: | United States Air Force (USAF) |
| Registration: | 56-0174 |
| MSN: | 146 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Near Đảo Cát Bà, Gulf of Tonkin -
 Vietnam
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Udorn RTAFB, Thailand |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
On November 1, 1965, Capt Norm Huggins, 15th TRS, 18 TFW, departed Udorn RTAFB in RF-101C Voodoo 56-0174 as lead of a two-plane BDA on three missile sites, 35 nm north-east of Hanoi NVN. The plan was to approach the targets from the southeast over the Gulf of Tonkin. As the flight descended over the gulf, Capt. Huggin’s Voodoo was hit by AAA, probably located on the island of Đảo Cát Bà. Capt Huggins was able to fly the burning Voodoo some 25 miles east before the fire intensified, forcing him to eject. He landed in the waters, not far from a small island. He had attempted to reach the island, but the NVN were hostile and set out in sampans to capture him. He was able to hold them off with his pistol until four Navy A-1 Skyraiders attacked the sampans, sinking one and chasing the rest off. A 33 AR Sqn HU-16 Albatross, piloted by Capt David Westinbarger, one of the most prolific rescue pilots of the Vietnam era, was able to land on the water near Capt Huggins. An Albatross crewman shot at several North Vietnamese swimmers who were approaching the Voodoo pilot, as parajumper, A1C J.E. Pleiman, dived in and brought Capt Huggins safely on board. This was the furthest north any rescue had been attempted up to that time in the Vietnam war.
Capt Huggins flew 138 combat missions and went on to command an F-15 squadron in Germany.
Sources:
http://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,834563,00.html
RF-101 Voodoo Units in Combat: Peter E. Davies (Pg 69)
Voodoo Warriors: The Story of the McDonnell Voodoo Fast-Jets, Nigel Walpole
(Pg 253/254)
https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=318
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Mar-2013 15:00 | Uli Elch | Added |
| 28-Mar-2013 15:18 | Uli Elch | Updated [Date, Registration, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Narrative] |
| 22-Apr-2021 06:10 | Frank Perkins | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 22-Apr-2021 18:57 | Anon. | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 25-May-2021 19:30 | Cosmo | Updated [Cn, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 14-Aug-2021 05:49 | Cosmo | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
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